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Lilly to launch cardiovascular trial

27 Mar 2009

A trial which will look at the extent to which the therapy exenatide can reduce cardiovascular risk is set to be launched by Lilly.

The pharmaceutical company explained it has worked with Alkermes to carry out meta-analysis of cardiovascular events across clinical studies of three or more months.

It was found that the use of the drug was not linked with increased risk of such events occurring.

As such, the two firms now plan to initiate a trial to evaluate the effects of exenatide on major cardiovascular event when taken on a once-weekly basis.

Professor Rury Holman, director of the Diabetes Trial Unit at Oxford University, said the study is "designed to determine the extent to which exenatide may reduce cardiovascular risk, in addition to lowering glucose".

Earlier this month, the company announced the US Food and Drug Administration had approved a new indication for its Symbyax drug for the acute management of treatment-resistant depression.